The present invention relates generally to containers for carrying a plurality of beverage containers, and, more specifically, to a lightweight, stackable container to facilitate the return of beverage containers to a supermarket or redemption center.
As of 1989, at least ten states had enacted returnable container laws, enabling consumers to return empty containers (glass, metal or plastic) to stores, vendors and redemption centers for refunds of deposits (California, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, Oregon, Iowa, New York, Michigan, Delaware, and Massachusetts). The purpose of these laws is well-stated by the New York State Legislature:
The legislature hereby finds that litter composed of discarded soft-drink, beer and ale bottles and cans is a growing problem of state concern and a direct threat to the health and safety of the citizens of this state. Discarded beverage bottles and cans create a hazard to vehicular traffic, a source of physical injury to pedestrians, farm animals and machinery and an unsightly accumulation of litter which must be disposed of at increasing public expense. Beverage bottles and cans also create an unnecessary addition to the state's and municipalities' already overburdened solid waste and refuse disposal systems. Unsegregated disposal of such bottles and cans creates an impediment to the efficient operation of resource recovery plants. Further, the legislature finds that the uninhibited discard of beverage containers constitutes a waste of both mineral and energy resources. The legislature hereby finds that requiring a deposit on all beverage containers, along with certain other facilitating measures, will provide a necessary incentive for the economically efficient and environmentally benign collection and recycling of such containers.
N.Y. Environmental Conservation 27-1001 (Legislative Findings)
Under a typical beverage container law, consumers pay a small deposit when purchasing beverages and get that deposit back when returning the containers. In most states at present, the deposit is no less than five cents, but in some cases may be more than five cents, per container. Usually, a consumer can return empty containers (glass, metal, or plastic) to any store or vendor that sells the same size and type of container.
As with any new law, in the beginning, it took everyone some time to grow accustomed to saving empty beverage containers and returning them for the deposit. Over time, however, the inherent environmental and economic incentives of the laws have prevailed, and it is now a common sight in those states with beverage container laws to see consumers at supermarkets, etc., bringing back their empty beverage containers for deposit refunds. In fact, the law has worked so well in New York that, at the time the application for this patent was filed, the Governor of New York had recommended to the state legislature that it expand the law to include containers for liquor, wine and fruit juice, in addition to beer and soft drinks.
As with most new laws, the beverage container laws have created some problems of their own. An obvious problem which has arisen is that of transporting the beverage containers from the home to the store. Some consumers store and transport the cans and bottles in plastic or paper grocery bags. With respect to storage, bags are not ideal because the containers tend to fall out of them when the bags are laid upon a floor. Also, bags tend to take on irregular shapes (depending on how full they are, etc.) which makes storage of bags inefficient. A problem with transporting bags is that, despite a thorough rinsing of the containers, it is common for the cans and uncapped bottles to retain some amount of liquid which spills into the bag, and contributes to a sticky mess when emptying the bag at the store. Another problem with this method is that, in many instances, the bags (due to the mess) are often used only once and then discarded, which is wasteful. A further problem is the time it takes to remove the containers from the bag at the redemption facility. The cans and bottles are usually removed from the bag one or two at a time to minimize the mess. Also, the cans and bottles must be sorted by the store clerk, which also slows the process. This can be especially frustrating when many people are in line at a supermarket to return their empty containers.
In view of the problems recited, a need has existed for a better method and apparatus for storing and transporting beverage containers.